Skate park, fowl highlight Brush City Council

By Katie Collins Brush News-Tribune Staff Writer

Posted:
02/26/2013 12:49:39 PM MST

Updated:
02/26/2013 12:50:11 PM MST

From skate parks to chickens, Brush residents may be privy to sights of a different sort following discussions surrounding the two subjects at Monday night’s regular session of the Brush City Council. Although last year’s push for a Great Outdoors Colorado (GoCo) grant to help fund a new Skate Park at the current site of the Pioneer Park fell short, Brush Recreation Director Lance Schwindt has not lost hope and submitted for councils approval Resolution 2013-4, supporting a 2013 grant application for a local parks and outdoor recreation grant to fund the completion of what will be known as the Pioneer Skate Park in Brush. Schwindt has noted in previous meetings that in the event of the city’s grant application being denied again this year, the park construction will still move forward with funding set aside for the project. However, the scope and nature of the park would likely be heavily dependent on the city being awarded the GoCo grant. After unanimous approval of the resolution to push forth the grant application, the City of Brush has requested $130,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado for the Pioneer Skate Park, with the backing of strong support from council members as witnessed by the fact that the city has also appropriated matching funds for the grant.

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The project site currently is owned by the city and will be owned by the city for the next 25 years and will, therefore, continue to maintain the property in high quality condition and will appropriate funds for its maintenance in the annual budget. Schwindt expects to hear word back on the status of the grant near June. Fowl DiscussionDuring a work session following the regular meeting, the topic of allowing chickens within Brush city limits was brought up for discussion, in light of recent inquiries into the matter by several Brush citizens. Currently, the Brush Municipal Code prohibits the ownership of cattle, sheep, horses, mules, swine, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese and chickens, including other livestock in fowl within city limits. During their research, Assistant City Administrator Karen Schminke and Marketing Specialist Tyler Purvis analyzed the code of chicken ownership in other municipalities throughout the state, citing that many had codes in place that included restrictions such as not allowing roosters, limiting the number of chickens, requiring certain sized parcels of land and permit requirements. According to Brush Police Chief Mark Thomas, the Larimer County Humane Society also noted that in order to maintain chickens, a municipal police department may be required to operate open-air runs and build coops where stray chickens might be held should the need arise. Councilman Heath Becker brought along a book of backyard farming that details the needs of chicken owners and noted to council, “I think it would be good to give people that freedom. I think it is a good family-oriented activity for some people and the city could make an ordinance to require permits and could charge a fee each year to bring in revenue,” he suggested. One Brush resident with her eye on the chicken situation was Allison Groves, whose young son has been given chickens as a present and, as she noted, has been a wonderful experience in responsibility, with no complaints from neighbors heard as of yet. Council members and city staff discussed how such an ordinance might look, should staff draw up the allowance, sighting lot limit requirements, sign-offs from neighbors and perhaps even enlisting the help of trained community members to be given authority to catch and house chickens should some stray from home. Council agreed that legal issues surrounding the possible ordinance should be looked into prior to its writing and noted that the city would require two readings of the ordinance, with its effect being felt only 30 days after the second publication. The issue will likely be brought up in upcoming meetings. Downtown Program The City of Brush noted that two local businesses have already applied for the city’s newest lower-level incentives program, known as the Downtown Brush Rentals Incentive Program. The first application to come through was submitted by the Country Essence Emporium, currently setting up shop at 206 Clayton Street in Brush. According to Marketing Specialist Tyler Purvis, the former Duckwalls location has been revamped to house both the Brush Sew N Vac and the newest Country Essence Emporium venture. According to her application, owner Kimberley Pfeiffer describes the shop as a retail of general household goods, antiques, collectibles, furniture, handcrafted items and eventually new goods including teas, coffees and even scrapbooking items. The store may even provide seasonal florals in the future. Also, The Bling and Me and AGI Connections shop, located at 105 Clayton Street, recently put in their names for the new incentive program. Owned by Buffie Dechant, the store provides jewelry and fashion as well as computer products. During the brain-storming work session, city staff and council met to discuss potential limits to these and future applicants, citing that city staff might make the call on these lower-level incentives, while higher incentive packages are to be brought before council for approval. Currently the Brush Rentals Incentive Program is given out to encourage the establishment of new business within downtown Brush through assisting new, relocating or expanding businesses. The program provides businesses who meet the requirements of being a new business in downtown Brush, with limits of the area being on Edison Street, in the 300 and 400 block or on Clayton Street in the 100 and 200 block, with options that include choosing one of the following: - rent subsidies of up to one-third of the business’ monthly rent, not exceeding $500 per month, for the first three months of a minimum one-year lease; - city utility costs, not exceeding $125 per month, to be covered for the first year;- a forgivable loan in which the city would give up to $1500 as additional start up capital, which the business will repay at $125 per month, interest free. - advertising costs for the newspaper and radio of up to $1500. To qualify the business must also meet the criteria for being a new business in Brush, with new being detailed as relocating from another city, opening an additional location of an existing business or starting a new business. Criteria also state that the business be properly licensed, qualify as a target business not offering goods or services already being offered in downtown Brush, and the application must be approved by council. Fire Department UpdateDuring the regular session, new Brush Fire Chief Tad Anderson, and Assistant Chief Ray Uhrig, came before council to invite members to an upcoming session of the Fire 1 Academy training at the Brush Fire Hall. Newer members of the department have been training and will soon put on a live fire evolution with the entire department on the weekend of March 9-10. Assistant Chief Uhrig also updated council on future truck purchases, noting that the department is now looking into a lease-purchase option that could help put money into the fire equipment fund that is lacking, while helping to pay off the truck at the same time. I-76 ProjectThe impending I-76 project slated to invade the interstate near Brush this summer has sparked a lot of conversation and during the regular Monday night session, Council member Vicky Quinlin asked about trailers currently parked inside the fencing of Brush’s Central School. Those trucks currently are being utilized by a construction company, with the permission of Central School owner Tim White, and will eventually be aiding in the I-76 construction. Upcoming TopicsDuring future sessions of the Brush City Council, topics such as the Brush Police partnering with the Brush School District to create a Safety Resource Officer position will be coming before council. Council member Vicky Quinlin also has begun to organize a LiveWell Colorado campaign for the City of Brush and invites any members of the community interested in teaming up for the project to contact the City of Brush at 842-5001. The project will highlight many of the city’s current undertakings that help make the community a healthy place to live and work, but will also tackle future projects that could mesh well with the LiveWell idea. Also, a special meeting of the Brush City Council will occur on Monday, March 18 to tackle a special use permit related to I-76. That meeting will take place at city hall at 6 p.m., and will be followed by a meeting of the planning commission. Also approved that Monday night, following a meeting of the finance committee, were city bills in the amount of $175,755.08.

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